Couch
by scoob2222
Summary: Veronica and Eli reconnect after he's paroled.


He's been out of jail exactly two weeks the first time she comes to him. She visited him in jail a few times, written at least a letter a week. Since his grandmother died and his sisters and brothers had busy lives and lots of children she was basically the only thing that connected him to the outside world.

He goes to see her almost immediately after he gets out. She's happy to see him and they share one of their usual handshake/quick hugs combos before she tilts her head and asks him for a favor. Because some things just never change.

After the favor they do something unusual—they have dinner. They eat pizza on the floor of her dorm (she pays because he has no money, but she brushes it off telling him he can pay when they go to their next 5 star restaurants) and they talk. What he's going to do now that he's out? How college is? And of course, how she's back with Logan Echolls.

He knew of course, she'd told him in her letters, but some part of him had hoped that college would have broken her out of that mold. He hates Logan, not because he's a rich, idiotic 09ers, but because of who he is and how he treats V. Logan will never stop trying to make V into one of them and she'll keep trying to fit the mold, until she realizes she can't and everything spills back out again.

Apparently the mold burst that night because when she shows up outside his apartment she is soaking wet and obviously been crying. She mumbles some words about Logan, alcohol and jackass and not knowing what else to do he gets her some clean clothes and waits while she showers.

When she emerges from the bathroom she's calmed down and smiles as he offers her a beer and sits her down on his used, stained, crappy couch.

"I'm sorry about showing up like this," she says in a voice that is smaller than he's ever heard from her.

"Not a problem. Are you okay?"

"Not really."

"Want to tell me why?"

"Not really, but I guess you've got a right to ask since I showed up like this."

"Hey, you don't have to tell me unless you want to? It's not like I want to know about you and Echolls, just offering."

She doesn't tell him anymore that night, but she does the next time it happens. Tells him how Logan hasn't changed at all. He's gotten rid of some of the anger but he's still an idiotic drunk. He's not in school, he has no direction and his entire life centers around her and drinking beer with Dick. She shows him the jewelry he bought her, it covers every available place and not one piece fits on her. She looks like one of the 09ers vapid rich wives, at least until you look into her eyes, which are as fierce as ever.

The nightly visits become a ritual, at least one a week, sometimes more. She sits on his couch and he listens to her Logan problems, then he talks about the garage and how he's thinking of saving up money to open a tattoo parlor. He doesn't complain because he really doesn't have much else. The job at the garage, occasionally babysitting for his nieces and nephews, a couple of women he doesn't really care about, and a visit from the annoying, irritating, gorgeous white girl whose image haunts him hours after she's gone.

It's almost five months into the rituals when she comes over and tells him that she and Logan are done for good. He brings her another beer and sits on the coach next to her. Before he can even take a sip she's pressing her lips against his. It's just like his dreams, hot and soft and she tastes amazing and he pulls her into his lap and pushes past her lips and the kiss moves onto a whole new level.

Some small still function part of his brain makes him pull away, "V, stop."

Her lips are swollen and he forces himself to look away from her confused expression, "What? Why?"

"Why? Cause you just broke up with your boyfriend five seconds ago. And knowing you you'll probably be back with him tomorrow."

Now it's hurt that's on her face, "That's not fair."

"FAIR!" he yells. He's standing now and angry for reasons he's not even sure of and all he wants is to hurt her so she'll go away. "You come to my apartment for months complaining about your rich asshole of a boyfriend and then suddenly you show up and kiss me. You think I'm going to be grateful for whatever I get from you. That it's okay to bounce from me to him like it's no big deal."

"No," her voice is razor sharp, back on the edge from his rejection, "I'm not bouncing. I've never bounced. This is the first time I even kissed you."

"But you just broke up with Logan, right? After months of complaining I'm supposed to believe you just decided to finally get rid of him and then decide you want me. Just like that?"

"No, not just like that. I didn't just break up with Logan today and come straight over here."

"So there was a twenty-four hour grace period? Don't I feel special? What'd he do this time, throw up on you, forget your anniversary, buy you a diamond?"

"No, that's not why?"

"Then why?"

"It's complicated Eli…."

"Do explain it to me; you've explained everything else for the past five months. We're talking buddies so take your time and explain it so I get it."

"I can't…it's"

"Complicated, right? What the hell is it V, just spit it out?"

"I…"

"What?"

"I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU OKAY?" the words seem to actually shake the walls in the small room and they strike him stunned, he's not sure he's ever actually known what stunned feels like until that moment, "I broke up with Logan cause I wanted to be with you. Cause every time we were out, every time I was with him, at my dorm room, at a fancy restaurant, our anniversary when he bought me this stupid thing," she pulls off the bracelet and chucks it across the room, and then she's starting straight in his eyes, "Every single time I wished I was here, in your apartment, sitting on your couch and just…being with you."

The silence is heavy in the room and he turns away from her for a moment, staring at the clock on his wall and breathing deep, "You sure this is what you want V. Cause that couch, it's pretty much the best I can offer."

She smiles at him and he thinks over her tilting her head and telling him it was love of roller coasters that made her not turn him in. Now she was giving him the answer he wanted, "Well that's all I want, well the couch and its owner, kind of a package deal."

This time he kisses her first, lowering her down to the couch where he's had so many fantasies about her.

Two years later when they move in together the couch is first thing in their new apartment.


End file.
